Roadway embankment



2l 1927. June E. A. JENKS ROADWAY EMBANKMENT Filed June 30. 1924 jig/ Patented June 2l, 1927.

unire-n STATES EDWIN A. JENKS, OF ALDERPOINT, CALIFORNIA.

ROADWAY EMBANKMENT.

Application led .Tune 30, 1924. Serial No. 723,303.

This invention relates to the construction of embankments as used to carry a roadway or railroad across a depression in the earth or over low ground.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a more permanent construction than heretofore used for embankments and one which is adapted to supplant to a certain extent the use of trestles with their attendant drawbacks.

The object of the invention is realized in the construction shown in the drawings accompanying this application and in which:

Figure l is a proile representation of a depressed portion of the earths surface with a railroad embankment passing thereacross constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure'2 is an enlarged cross-section of the embankment, and Figure 8 is a similarly enlarged plan View of the concrete construction' embodied in the embankment as it would appear before being lilled with earth.

The construction of my embankment coinprises two parallel walls l of concrete connected by a bottom floor section 2 and also spaced vertical partition walls 3.

These walls are all tied together by reinforcing bars 4 and someof which are anchored and extend at an angle from the lower juncture of the walls and floor to the upper portion of the wall furthest from the point of anchorage.

The side walls are preferably tapered as shown and are let into the ground a short distance as indicated in Figure 2 so as to prevent the washing out of the supporting earth beneath, though in some localities this may not be necessary.

After completing the walls as shown in Figure 3 and the concrete is properly seasoned the whole structure is lled with earth, topped with gravel, and the roadway or railroad track 5 laid on top as indicated.

Extending transversely through the walls at their juncture with the floor and inclined downwardly and outwardly, are drainage tubes 6 for discharging rain water, though it should be noted that the transverse walls 3 eiectually stop any subsoil seepage from the higher ground, andthe lower wider set in ends of the side walls prevent any side seepage to beneath the bottom wall or floor. l Vhere the embankment is built over an arroyo, or where storm waters must be given passage any desired number of culverts may extend from one side of the embankment to the other.

I? Figure 1 three such culverts are shown aty In some localities where the ground upon which the embankment rests is of rocky formation the bottom or connecting floor 2 may be omitted, at least in some of the sections enclosed by the transverse tie walls 3, though where the floor is omitted it is nevertheless desirable to tie the side walls together at the bottom with the reinforcing bars.

The weight of the fill between the side walls l and carried by the bottom 2 firmly anchors the structure against all displacement and the drainage insures against an increase of internal pressure through entrapping of water.

I claim: y

1. Spaced longitudinal concrete walls eX- tending across a canyon, an arroyo or the like, said walls being adapted to retain earth which fills up said canyon, arroyo or the like between said walls, and which carries a roadway or railroad thereon, and transverse walls spaced apart between the ends of, and connecting the first mentioned spaced walls.

"2. Spaced longitudinal concrete walls eX- tending across a canyon, an arroyo or the like, said walls being adapted to retain earth which fills up said canyon, arroyo or the like between said walls, and which carries-a roadway or railroad thereon, transverse walls spaced apart between the ends of, and connecting the irst mentioned spaced walls, and a bottom connecting the first mentioned spaced walls.

3. A roadway embankment of the character described comprising spaced longitudinal lside-walls connected by a bottom wall or floor, and a series of spaced transverse walls tying said` side walls, said'side, bottom and transverse walls interlocked with reinforce- Ament bars, and illed with earthy for carrying a roadway or railroad bed thereon.

4l. A roadway embankment of the character described, comprising spaced longitudinal concrete Walls connected by' a bottom Wall, spaced transverse Walls tying said longitudinal Walls, all of said Walls interlocked with reinforcing bars, certain of said bars extending at an oblique angle from the lower part of the structure at one side, across tbe saine and to the upper portion of the opposite side Wall.

5. A structure as set forth in claim 2 characterized by the longitudinal Walls extended below the bottoni Wall whereby to prevent Washing out of the supporting earth, and prevent transverse shifting oi' the structure.

EDWIN A. JENKS. 

